It is disheartening to read about incidents of assault and degradation that happen in public places.
Recently, there was a news story about Clarence H. Locke Jr., who assaulted a female waitress, Jayme Adair, at Denny’s in Rome, New York.
At around noon on that day, Clarence H. Locke Jr. and his wife arrived at Denny’s in Rome and ordered drinks from Jayme Adair’s section.
When Adair returned to the table with drinks for the couple, she got much more than she bargained for when he touched her inappropriately.
After his wife left the table momentarily to use the restroom, Locke reached out of the booth and tried to hit Adair’s buttock while she was turning away after delivering their drinks – an utterly disgusting act that left her feeling embarrassed and degraded.
Jayme Adair has been working at Denny’s for five years now but never has she experienced anything like this before – a complete stranger taking advantage of her vulnerability and making her feel “degraded” in front of other customers and staff members alike.
She said: “So many women go through this and it is not fair. I did nothing wrong and I did not deserve that” which couldn’t be truer – no one deserves to have their boundaries violated in such a way.
Luckily, the incident was captured on CCTV footage by the restaurant manager which enabled authorities to identify him shortly after he left the premises before arresting him that same day.
The behavior displayed by Mr. Locke is unacceptable in any situation but particularly so when it occurs in public view with no regard for social norms or laws governing civil conduct between people.
Especially considering it happened during daylight hours when many families are out enjoying themselves!
To make matters worse, this type of unsolicited physical contact can be damaging psychologically as well as physically for those subject to its effects.
It is heartening that Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara has taken such a strong stand against this kind of “abuse” as he put it: “Working women are sick and tired of being subjected to this kind of abuse. Why someone would think they could touch these people like that defies logic.”
Locke was arrested and charged with forcible touching later that same day after being identified by authorities via the CCTV footage.
This charge carries an up to one year jail sentence or three years of probation if convicted.
This crime is truly disturbing; any normal person with even a moderate amount of self-control would find it hard to fathom slapping the bottom of a complete stranger.
Something clearly isn’t right with this man if he’s willing to do something as brazen as this in public view during broad daylight…one shudders at what might be going on behind closed doors where nobody can see him.
